You could pick me
by Shin Sankai
Summary: Misao has once again come to Aoshi for comfort after something does wrong with her latest boyfriend. What if Aoshi cannot take it anymore? AU and Modern Times.


**You could pick me**

**By Shin Sankai**

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Soft music drifted through a far too clean room for a 17 year old high school student. Within the room sat a young man, far too mature for his age, as he read over one of his thick textbooks. He sat propped back in his chair, feet covered in black socks which were currently propped on top of his wooden desk and the plain tan curtain drawn open to bring in the fading sunlight from his window. It was Sunday afternoon. The day had been perfect for any other teenager to be milling about the city and yet Shinomori Aoshi had spent it cooped up in his bedroom studying for his exams. He'd ignored his mobile ringing, knowing it would only be Himura Kenshin or Sagara Sanosuke wishing to annoy him. Sagara more than Himura. Stretching his arms above his head, neck make a soft cracking noise Aoshi slapped his textbook shut, all his notes on that History chapter complete. Green eyes looked over at the Biology textbook behind thin-framed reading glasses. He'd been holding out on Biology, it not his best subject. He was within the top three of all subjects, besides Biology where he was placed at number 10, not that it was a bad thing, but Biology never did interest him.

Taking a deep breath the jet-black haired nearly six-foot tall teenager placed his feet back on his tan plush carpet and opened up the textbook towards the chapter he had marked in order to study for part of his exam. His eyes drifted instantly away from the text and images within as his door thrust open and a flurry of blue rushed in only to jump onto his perfectly made double bed and hide their head beneath his pillows. He stared over at the figure lying stomach down on his bed, donned in a blue dress that reached just above her knees and trailed his eyes down the long tight braid that sagged over the edge and to his floor.

"Misao…" Aoshi had muttered as he stood from his chair, his wrinkled black button down shirt falling back over loose black jeans, resting comfortably against his hips. Makimachi Misao had been Aoshi's friend since he was 8 years old. He'd met her one afternoon during school. He had not paid that much attention when it was announced that a new girl had arrived and would be within his class and sitting merely two desks to the left of him. He wasn't interested and went back to reading one of his books. It wasn't until lunchtime; when all the students got to play outside on such a fine sunny afternoon did Aoshi truly see the new girl. He'd been sitting on a bench, reading his book and absently swinging his legs when a voice sweet as apple pie assaulted his ears.

'_What are you reading?' _She had questioned him so suddenly, so surprisingly that he jerked his eyes to his left and found the new student kneeling on the bench right at his side, her big ocean blue eyes blinking widely at him. She was dressed in denim shorts, a plain white shirt and white sneakers. Her blue-black hair was placed in two plaited pigtails and her hands were resting against her bare knees, complete attention on the awestruck 8-year-old Aoshi. He hadn't a clue what to say and instead quietly showed her the book. For the half an hour they were outside, Misao had been asked by numerous girls to play with them but she had declined saying she was spending the afternoon with her friend 'Shinomori-kun'. His green eyes widened at those words, while his little heart warmed when she sat closer to him, her legs swinging in motion to his own and they read the rest of the book quietly together.

To this day, they'd remained closer then ever, both knowing that they were the best friends of the other. As Aoshi stared over at Misao, this was an image he'd witnessed several times before. Misao upset or crying wasn't something new to him. In fact, his home, his room was the only place she would go when she was upset. She was good friends with Kamiya Kaoru and Takani Megumi, both in their class as well, but still would mainly come to him with her problems. And Aoshi didn't mind this one bit. It was part of the entire package that was Misao. All that he needed to find out now was whether it was family related or boy related.

The last time she'd burst into his room, which was something she often did, was when Sagara had dumped her and decided to go out with Takani Megumi. Of course it was old history now and they bickered like brother and sister these days, but back then, it hurt Misao a lot. To see her crying face, always made Aoshi's skin crawl and he'd given Sagara a handsome black eye, a cut lip and a twisted wrist and only those minor injuries because Himura had reasoned with him that this is not what Misao would have wanted. Of course she didn't know that Aoshi had been the culprit to do such a thing and the matter had never been brought up again.

"Misao…" Aoshi repeated and this time went over to his bed. He sat on the edge and placed his hand lightly between her shoulder blades. "Is it Okina, Omasu or Okon?" He questioned her lightly and heard a muffled 'no'. This now meant it was boyfriend related. He'd noticed her walking around, holding hands with a popular guy with light brown hair and eyes. He couldn't recall his name, but it appeared something had gone terribly wrong…again.

"Why are boys such bastards?" Misao had voiced, her face flushed and blotchy as she turned over onto her side, to look blurrily up at Aoshi.

"Should I be offended by that remark?" Aoshi contorted, lips thin and eyes slightly narrowed.

"You're not a boy." Misao mumbled and threw an arm over her eyes as she lay fully on her back now. Aoshi himself wasn't sure how to respond to that answer and left it alone.

"So what happened?" He softly voiced. Whether she told him or not didn't matter, just as long as she knew that he was beside her, a rock for her to lean against when she was sad.

"Stupid bastard set up a date, so I get all girly and stupid and dress up like this and then find him with his arms around some big boobed girl from the neighbouring high school."

"I think you look nice." Aoshi confessed quietly and watched Misao's mouth softly voice the words 'thank you'. "So, how did you pay him back then?" Her arm fell from her eyes, blue orbs gazing up at him, head slightly tilted. "The Makimachi Misao I know would not let a guy get away so easily anymore." His shoulders eased when she lightly laughed.

"I punched him in the face. Hurt my right hand doing so too." Without thinking Aoshi picked up Misao's right arm, his fingers nimbly moving over her palm and knuckles, noticing it was red, but didn't seem to be any fractures in the bones at all. He cradled it within his own for seconds before placing it against her flat stomach.

"I'll get you some ice." Misao watched Aoshi leave the room and moved her eyes about his overly clean bedroom. She'd been in here so many times over the years that it really hadn't changed at all. He never moved his furniture around, same pictures hung on the walls and two identical kodachi – his most prized possessions. They had belonged to his great grandfather or something like that, Misao really couldn't remember. She got to her feet, slipping off her white sandals and padded towards Aoshi's desk where a large corkboard was situated. On it were random letters from old friends who had moved back to Kyoto with family, postcards from his father when he went away on business trips around the world and several photos of her, him and their friends. She fingered the one where she was hugging him around the waist, dressed in a one-piece black bathing suit and he in a pair of black board shorts and an opened white shirt, his arm casually swung over her petite shoulders. They'd taken a trip to the beach with their four close friends and he'd only gone because she'd pestered him into doing so since he wasn't one for a lot of sun and surf.

Her eyes darted towards the door that she heard click closed, as Aoshi had already returned. He was so quiet that sometimes he'd scare the daylights out of her, as his shadow would loom over her own, signifying he was there. He was carrying a small tray laden with a jug of juice, two glasses and several confectioneries. The ice he promised her was in fact a small packet of frozen carrots, which was carried between his teeth. Misao went over and took the tray from his hands and placed it on the carpet, she sitting on one side while Aoshi sat on the other.

"Otosan heard you running up the stairs from his study and but together this assortment." Aoshi blinked as Misao was already munching down on the cakes.

"He's the best damn chef ever!" She confessed with her mouth full and Aoshi chuckled lightly. He was glad she was back to normal. Her eyes were still puffy, but at least she'd stopped crying over her latest asshole boyfriend. He dreaded who the next one would be and recalled a certain blue-eyed short guy in their class constantly talking to her these days. "Aoshi, aren't you having any?" She was starring over at him and he shook his head from his thoughts and her question.

"I was told not to touch them as they were specially made for you." He watched her hand, her injured hand at that raise to the back of her head.

"He's so sweet to me."

"You're like a daughter to him." Aoshi quickly poured some juice into a glass and drank it down, not wanting to let slip any other confessions.

"Well, I'm over here enough that I could really be family sometimes." She laughed at her own comment and then rubbed her red hand. Aoshi took it gently within his own and pressed the frozen carrots against it. She made a slight hiss sound and Aoshi let off a sigh.

"Sometimes I just don't know what to do with you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Green darted to annoyed blue and then moved back to her pale slender hand.

"You should at least study the next guy you date Misao and not just fall instantly for their looks. It'll get you in trouble, just like what happened today."

"Oh so its _my _fault huh?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Her voice had risen and she pulled her hand from his.

"Nothing…"

"Fine, be that way!" She got up, swiping up her sandals and stomped out of his bedroom, door slamming closed with a resonating echo behind her. Shaking his head Aoshi raked a hand through his silky hair, cursed and then rose to his feet. He quickly threw on his sneakers and dashed downstairs. The front door was open and he could see Misao's petite figure hurriedly walking away.

"Misao wait!" He asked of her and grit his teeth when she switched her legs into running mode. His athletic body and longer legs did the same and he wasn't far from her. "I SAID STOP!" He yelled, something that wasn't like him at all as he grabbed her hand twisting her around so that she fell against his lean physique. "Don't be mad at me." He mumbled into her hair, hating the very idea that she would have a single ounce of hatred in her heart for him. "I hate that someone can make you sad. It doesn't suit you Misao." She stepped away from his chest, looking up into those deep green eyes to read the truth within them. Aoshi had never lied to her before so why would he start now? She leaned up, kissing him lightly on the lips and then threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him.

"I'm sorry I make you worry." She mumbled, stretched up on her tiptoes. It took Aoshi several seconds to bring up his arms to move around her waist, for he'd been so surprised at her kiss, not that it was anything passionate, but still. When he hugged her, her head turned into his neck. "I'd be lost without my best friend." Something ached within Aoshi's heart at those words but he let go of Misao, threw his arm over her shoulders and started heading back to his house and to where his father would be waiting for them.

"Is _otosan_ making a feast tonight?" Aoshi glanced down at Misao, her eyes twinkling merrily up at him. "You know, one of his "good luck on your finals" banquets?"

"He always cooks a feast, he never needs an excuse to do so." It was good to hear her laugh.

"He's going to make you fat." Misao pinched Aoshi on his side as she wrapped her arm around his waist and got one back on her arm.

"Why do you think I do martial arts?" Misao laughed gaily as she clutched her best friend to her smaller form, they heading back into the two-storey home and towards the kitchen where the smell of something delicious was in the making.

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A few weeks had passed by, exams long passed and the results were finally out. Aoshi currently stood at the noticeboard searching for his name amongst the 100 or so students within the graduating class. Catching his name Aoshi nodded his head as he'd finished second over all, only behind Himura by mere points.

"Wow Aoshi that's really awesome." His green orbs flickered to his right and down a bit to see a grinning Misao. He silently stood by her as her fingers moved down the charts to find her own name. She found it within the top 20 and fisted the air in success.

"Your tutoring paid off, thanks!"

"You could of done better if you didn't keep falling asleep on my bed." He watched her face scrunch up slightly, her hands placed on her hips, the girls' uniform shirt rising from her hips to slightly reveal pale soft skin.

"Mou, you should be happy I did this well."

"I am happy." Aoshi voiced back and observed Misao's head tilt slightly as she openly stared up at him. He was a bit awestruck when she laughed loudly, some people stopping to stare for a moment as she threw her arms over his shoulders, having muttered 'oh lord' and then hugged him tight once more. Before he could return the hug she let go of him.

"Well I must be going." She glanced down at her watch and Aoshi blurted his question out before he could stop.

"You are not coming over to celebrate the success of our results?"

"Mm…" She mumbled and nodded her head simultaneously.

"And I cannot persuade you even if I mention that Otosan will now cook whatever we like since my scores were this great that I can go to University on full scholarship to study in becoming a History and Literature Professor?"

"Does this mean he'll get all emotional? Even hug the stuffing out of you?"

"Its very likely that is what he'll do." His lips fought off a smirk as Misao placed her hand to her chin in deep thought about this. However, it was sourly short-lived when someone interrupted them.

"Misao-chan, are you ready to go?" Both his and Misao's eyes flickered over to the short boy he'd seen speaking with Misao frequently these past couple of weeks. It was Seta Soujiro, one of their classmates. In less then three weeks he'd weaselled his way into becoming "friends" with Misao.

"Can I take a rain check?" Aoshi was a little caught off guard at her question and jerked his head into an affirmative nod. She'd lightly kissed him on the cheek, waved and then headed off down the corridor with Seta and disappeared around the corner. Once again Aoshi had just let her go.

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When he arrived home, Aoshi didn't even have time to be fully within the door before his extremely proud, far too protective and overly genki 6'5" father as he was wrapped within one of his large hugs.

"CONGRATULATIONS AOSHI!" He'd proclaimed in a loud voice, which made Aoshi jerk out of his grip, pressing his hands against his father's chest so he could actually breathe.

"You don't even know my results." He eyed his expectant father who seemed to be hopping from one foot to the other, all eyes and ears on him. All he did was nod and once again he was within his father's arms. Aoshi hadn't minded it when he was younger, it making Misao giggle all the time as they were greeted with hugs by his father, but now that he was older, merely months away from turning 18, it became a little embarrassing for him to witness his 40 year old father embrace him so gaily and openly – no matter who was watching, be it people he knew or complete strangers.

"So where is my darling Misao-chan?" Mr Shinomori voiced having finally detached himself from his lightly flushed in the cheeks son. He was a very proud father after all. Aoshi had never done a thing wrong and he'd always been overprotective of him when his dear sweet wife had died when he was but a baby.

"She's…not coming." Aoshi mumbled and this time got further into the house and closed the door behind him.

"Not coming? Why on earth not? Why I've made her favourite dishes!"

"She went out." Aoshi murmured once more. His father's pesky questions were getting on his nerves.

"Why on earth would she go out? This is an important occasion!"

"SHE'S GOT A BOYFRIEND FOR CHRISTS SAKE!" Aoshi wasn't one for snapping, but he'd kept his emotions so in check for years now that they just leaked with jealousy. His narrowed eyes were gazing angrily into his father green-grey orbs, which were slightly wide.

"Aoshi…" His voice went soft, something Aoshi hadn't heard in many years, not since the last time he remembered crying and that was probably when he was like 10 years old and his father was going away on a business trip and he was to stay with a distant aunt that he didn't like. "Have you thought that maybe its about time you tell Misao-chan that you like her?" He felt his father's hand cup his cheek, tilting his downcast head up to focus on his eyes once more. "She will never know why you do what you do for her unless you tell her. She only believes there is friendship, but if you say something, perhaps you shall open her eyes and heart to the fact that you could be something more then just friends."

"I…" Aoshi was pulled into another hug and was dragged towards the kitchen and dining room in their home.

"Besides, if you don't act soon, I'm never going to be able to have a daughter-in-law."

"OTOSAN!" Laughter boomed through the Shinomori household as the celebration began.

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Aoshi had sporadically seen Misao over the next week. Graduation day had been and gone, there had been a party at Sagara's house, his parents out of town for the weekend and he'd gone because Himura had, dear god, persuaded him to at least make a presence, to look at all the people he would not be seeing on a regular basis anymore. Aoshi had muttered this was a good thing, not having to deal with stupid people anymore and all Himura did was smile his usual pleasant smile, not agreeing or disagreeing to his comment.

He'd stuck to drinking water, having driven his father's car to Sagara's, under the strict 20 instructions he'd been given as he walked from the front door to the drivers side with his father relaying these instructions dressed in his robe and slippers. Sometimes the man annoyed him down to the bone, but in the end it was better to have him here then not at all, Aoshi had decided.

He'd tried finding Himura and the others, but came across Seta leaning against Misao who was standing in a corner, holding the tipsy Seta up he imagined. He was currently latched to her neck and blue met green and Aoshi's darted away, he swiftly moving through the crowd, out the back, around the side of the house to the front yard and got back into his father's car and drove home. A painful desire rushed through him, he wanting to reef Seta away from Misao's neck, away from her entire body and pulverise him into the ground. That of course would upset her extremely and Aoshi's next option and the only one left had been to leave…and fast.

He was currently pacing in his room, dressed in only a pair of black loose fitting track pants. His hair was wet, droplets falling onto his shoulders and several taking a lazy slide down his spine. He'd just finished in the shower, hoping the cold water would reduce the fury he felt within his body. It had worked a little, but not a lot, hence all the pacing.

"I have to tell her or I'm going to go insane." He muttered to himself, moving towards his closet to reef a shirt from a clothes hanger and jerked slightly when his door burst open and a sobbing Misao rushed in and collapsed onto his bed. His jaw instantly set as she turned on her side, back facing him and curled into a ball. Without saying a thing Aoshi padded to his bed and lay down, his chest pressed lightly against Misao's back. When she felt him there she rolled over and buried her tear-streaked face into his bare chest. His long arms wrapped loosely around her and he placed his head against her own.

"Bastard… Stupid bastard." Words he'd heard too many times before broke sobbingly from her lips. "Stupid bet…all he wanted…good time…bastard…sex…" That was all Aoshi could catch between her hiccups and held her closer, blood boiling to a raging inferno, as it appeared she'd been played once again.

"You'll be okay Misao." He murmured lightly and minutes, perhaps an hour or so ticked by and she finally let up, her sobs all but gone as she lay slack against him. It wasn't long before she pushed away and lay flat on her back once more. Aoshi eyes took a dive over her slender but supple form to find her dressed in a long black skirt and a red spaghetti strap top. He was certain there was a fading hickey against her neck and hoped it would all but disappear at his murderous glare. His eyes finally reached her face and he lifted his right hand to brush her drying tears away.

"I did it again." She mumbled, sniffed and waved off his gentle caress and ruffled her hands over her own face and then into her dishevelled hair.

"Aa, you did." The room fell silent as Aoshi sat up, turned his back to her and got to his feet.

"So where is your lecture this time?"

"I don't have one."

"Why?"

"Because you don't listen anyway."

"Well…"

"Why do you fall for such assholes?" And Aoshi let it rip. So much for the 'no lecture' remark. "Do you enjoy having your feelings crushed and thrown to the ground like they were nothing? How much more pain can that heart of yours take?"

"A-Aoshi…?" Misao muttered, never having seen her friend this enraged before. She stood up from his bed and stepped tentatively towards him as he paced his own carpet.

"Unless you wish your life to be just that way then stay that way, but if you want far better then what those bastards give you then let _us_ go out!" He was facing her now, hands fisted at his sides.

"Yeah right…" She laughed lightly and Aoshi ignored the ache in his heart and the way she jokingly slapped his arm as though he _were_ joking.

"I'm serious." Her blue orbs darted to his crystal green eyes, they growing wide at the seriousness rushing across his face.

"But you…I…we…" She couldn't get any words together.

"You could pick me…for once." The room fell horribly silent as Aoshi waited for her decision and instead as the minutes ticked on all he got was she chewing her lip and her head bowing. "I've always liked you for you." Aoshi softly stepped towards her, his hands reaching towards her face to cup her cheeks, to turn her teary blue eyes towards his dark smouldering green ones. "I've always been here, waiting for you to see me." She let out a shocked sob and ran from the bedroom. This time Aoshi did not go after her either and stood in his room, hands in his pockets and head bent in defeat.

"Aoshi…?" It appeared his father had been eavesdropping.

"Leave me alone."

"Its not all that bad son, at least you finally spoke your heart."

"I just lost the only person, besides you, who means more to me then anything else in this world! How does _that_ make it alright?" Aoshi sunk head first into his own bed, much where Misao had jumped and laid upon countless times in the past and would never do so again as far as he was concerned. Mr Shinomori had been horrified to see his boy, his young man so distraught and yet so proud that he'd finally spoken his true feelings for Misao _and _the fact that he had so openly said he was one of the two people that meant everything to him! His heart swelled with love and sadness and quietly he closed the door allowing his son to finally have an ounce of privacy for once. They were both growing up and he decided to head downstairs and make a sponge cake over it. He knew all would turn out well, he just knew it!

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Misao had caught the bus home, rushed inside her house and ran upstairs and into her room, slamming the door closed. She dove onto her bed, heart pounding and cheeks red as Aoshi's words ticked over and over within her head.

"_I've always liked you for you."_

Shaking her head Misao rolled under the covers and tried to sleep. When sleep never came she threw off her covers and flicked on her lamp beside her bed. A bright glow illuminated in her bedroom and cast a glow over photos stuck to her wall. Misao sat up on her bed and looked at them, _really_ looked at them this time. It was either festivals, or trips to the beach or sports carnivals or walks in the parks. Starring openly at them Misao finally glued her eyes to Aoshi and found that each time he was _not _starring at the camera at all. His eyes were _always_ trained on her.

"_I've always been here, waiting for you to see me."_

Misao let out a gasp, hands flying to cover her mouth. As tears welled in her eyes all the times she'd hugged him, lightly kissed him, she finally understood the small amount of shock that she had felt run through his body as it involuntarily jolted against hers. The silent looks he gave her and the ones she'd caught all made sense now. He was trying to tell her, for so long he'd been trying to say it without words and she hadn't understood at all. She didn't understand until now. The way he comforted her crying form, how much anger would have surged through his usually controlled body at her tears over stupid boyfriends.

"Sano…" Misao muttered and remembered him coming to school with those injuries and she thought it odd that he and Aoshi were not speaking and didn't place two and two together back then, but now it certainly made sense. He was getting revenge on them for having hurt her, when she was too emotional, too distraught to do it herself.

"_I've always been here, waiting for you to see me."_

Misao curled into a ball on her bed and remained that way for the rest of the night.

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Blinking her eyes, Misao heard birds chirping and stretched out her aching body. She rolled out of her bed and fell to her floor. Picking herself up she slumped tiredly into the bathroom and stood beneath the nozzle, hot water spraying over her pale skin. Those pure green eyes of his never lied to her, just kept certain things from her instead.

As Misao dried off she starred at her reflection and clutched the towel to her body. For the very first time Aoshi's eyes had been open and raw, he spilling his heart and she'd run from him, too shocked, too at a loss for words to understand what he meant. He was her friend, her best friend, and her dearest most important friend in the entire world! She wouldn't know where she'd be without him, without his support, his quiet strength, his presence. He meant more to her then any of the boyfriends she had. Her hand came up to cover her mouth in realisation. When she was with her boyfriends all she did was talk about him. Though she was with them, watching a movie, quietly strolling together or making out, all she ever thought about was Aoshi!

She let off a giggle, realisation snapping her square in the head as she rushed to get dressed. She threw on a pair of jeans and a button down purple shirt that _he _had actually bought her, commenting that he thought the colour would look nice on her. She slipped on her sneakers and ran out the door. It was barely sunrise and Misao couldn't wait for the first bus to begin its shift and instead ran the several blocks it took to get to Aoshi's home.

She was heaving for air when she arrived and ran right into Aoshi's father picking up the newspaper from the front porch. She was within his arms instantly, newspaper forgotten as she slumped gratefully against him, needing to catch her breath.

"He's been most upset Misao-chan." She pulled away, chewing her lip and her eyes frowned at his words. "But I am certain you being here means that you've come to make his day, make his life in fact." He watched her flush at his words and without saying anything else he shooed her inside. Mr Shinomori heard her pound up the stairs and flipped open the paper. "Hmm, should I have mentioned he's still sleeping? Oh well…"

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Misao burst into Aoshi's room, her eyes instantly going to his bed as she'd startled the poor guy awake. He truly did look like he had a bad sleep with his hair spiked messily in all directions. His black singlet was crinkled and one sleeve hung off his shoulder. Misao had decided that Aoshi looked unbelievably adorable. She observed his blurry green eyes blink many times to try and focus but instead of giving him any time to adjust to the sunlight in his room or her presence, she was once again on his bed and had her arms around his shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I'm so stupid for not noticing."

"Misao, what time is it?" She laughed and pulled away from him. She watched him sit up straighter, blankets pulling against his black shorts as he crossed his legs.

"I couldn't sleep at all. All I thought about was you." She watched his lips part but she placed her index finger against them. "I always think of you, even when I was with them. You're always on my mind, I just never realised why, not until you thrust it into my face."

"I didn't thrust it in your face." Aoshi tried to be defensive, but had to stare into Misao's blue eyes as she cupped his face.

"You did, but I'm thankful to you for it. If you never did then my true feelings for you would never have risen."

"True feelings?"

"I pick you over everyone else because I really, and I mean _really_ like you Aoshi." His heart swelled at her words. "I'm truly sorry for hurting you all this time." He watched a pout form over her lips and he quickly realised he was going to have to do some serious mental training as he caved against that look.

"You have a lot of making up to do." A laugh bubbled from her lips as she threw her arms around his shoulders and smothered him in a hug, rocking him slightly from side to side. He felt her slowly pull away and knew this was his chance. His right hand glided down her face, fingers memorising the feel of her skin as he lightly cupped her chin and drew his lips upon hers. The kiss grew and Aoshi felt he was drowning and quickly pulled away, noticing Misao's swollen lips, flushed cheeks and slightly heaving chest.

"H-How come you kiss so good?"

"Practice…" Blue orbs widened at that response.

"And just _who _have you practiced with?" Was there slight jealousy within her questioning?

"Shut up and kiss me." She loved the sly grin on his addictive mouth and sat up on her knees, making him tilt his head to look up at her and she threw one arm around his shoulders and the other dove into his silky messy locks of hair, her lips falling down on his.

A very proud father stood at the opened door and stepped inside to close it shut. He sighed happily on the other side and headed back downstairs. He just knew Aoshi's horoscope was telling the truth when it stated that romance would literally fall into his lap. Now if only there was the mention of marriage in the near future he would be more at ease about his son's future and happiness.

"One step at a time." He mumbled and headed towards the fridge to get out the sponge cake. He always did like cake for breakfast. He sliced off a piece and began to eat it while sipping a cup of tea. His green-grey orbs drifted to the ceiling when he heard Misao's boisterous laughter and sighed in contentment.

"Our boy is doing just fine my love, so you may truly rest easy now." He murmured and toasted his cup to the heavens, a smile on his face.

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**The End**

Authors Notes: Well the last chapter of "Series" won't be coming out for a while yet, so please bear with me on that. I've got things to do, important things that is, this weekend so it shall be neglected for another week or so. I hope you enjoy this and if no one liked Aoshi Otosan…well…bummer…I wanted to make him cute and lovable. Oneesan this is for you.


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